SA Police say they don’t have grounds to stop an approval pro-Palestine demonstration on the steps of Parliament on Monday. It coincides with the first anniversary of Hamas attack on Israel and critics have branded it insensitive. While the Premier has called on the organisers to drop their plans, he says it is not up to politicians to decide when people can protest.
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00:00For almost a year, pro-Palestine protesters have held rallies on the steps of South Australia's
00:08parliament.
00:09Free, free Palestine!
00:10Free, free Palestine!
00:13The protests have been peaceful, but politicians are concerned about another Adelaide demonstration
00:19planned on Monday, October 7, the one-year anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israel.
00:25I think it's reckless, I think it's irresponsible and insensitive.
00:29I think the people who are behind this protest are doing their cause a massive disservice.
00:35We would never allow people to celebrate an anniversary of the Holocaust and we should
00:39never allow people to celebrate the anniversary of what happened on October 7.
00:44It is a solemn occasion, it's not an occasion for protest.
00:48While SA Police has powers to prevent demonstrations, it doesn't believe there are grounds to stop
00:53Mondays.
00:55While the community sentiment surrounding the date is absolutely recognised, the organisers
00:59of the protest have complied with their legal requirements under the Public Assemblies Act.
01:04But one independent MP says the state government should intervene.
01:08I would ask the Premier, firstly, contact the parliament and ask them to rescind the
01:17right that they gave for this protest.
01:19I don't want to live in a world where politicians are picking and choosing what protests go
01:25ahead or don't.
01:26That's what Putin's Russia looks like, that's what Hamas's Gaza looks like.
01:30The ABC has contacted the organiser of the Adelaide rally as well as members of SA's
01:35Jewish community for comment.